White officials in Queen Anne's County challenge the recruitment of free people of color as temporary slaves
description: William T. Chamgbers to Col. William Birney reporting arrest of Col. J.P. Creager for recruiting among free people of color on the grounds that "when a free colored man hires himself for a year, or short period of time, he is a slave for the length of time he hires himself, and that I have no right to recruit him, though it may be his desire to volunteer." Notes that John Singer, a free person of color, was arrested for enlisting and thus violating his contract "without reasonable and proper cause."
date: 8/22/1863
coverage: Centreville, Queen Anne's Co, MD